Pepper has written this blog about his voyage on the Queen Mary 2 to Hamburg and then Paris and he has allowed me to add a few words to it to give a human's perspective. Thank you, Pepper! A few summers ago I had the opportunity to visit some friends in Europe, so I made the decision to move my writing business (me and a laptop) to Paris for the summer – and take my dog. Pepper, a Miniature Schnauzer, was 11 years old at the time. I had adopted him from a small, cold shelter in Indiana 10 years... Continue reading

Pearl and Nikki Moustaki on Miami Beach Pepper and Nikki Moustaki enjoying Paris Nikki Moustaki on the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish Nikki Moustaki on the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish Nikki Moustaki on the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish On the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish On the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish On the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish with psychic, Linda Lauren Nikki Moustaki the set of the Celebrity Pet Dish Nikki Moustaki and Nic Cestor from JET at an AC/DC concert Nikki Moustaki and Fergie Ferg at her 34th B-day... Continue reading

Richard Blanco and Nikki Moustaki Inaugural poet . . . and best friend. I met Richard Blanco -- whom we all called "Rick" back then -- in 1993 when we were both in our early 20s in a poetry workshop at Florida International University with Campbell McGrath in Miami, Florida. It was Richard's second poetry workshop and my first. I had just graduated college and wanted to take a few graduate classes, and Richard was an engineer with an interest in poety. We all sat in a circle at our desks that first day. I even remember what Richard was... Continue reading

An avian expert and poet braids her bad-girl youth, her beloved pet birds, and her remarkable grandfather into one true story of love, loss, and redemption. Nikki Moustaki grew up in the flashy, money-flowing Miami of the 1980s and ‘90s, the only child of parents who worked, played and traveled for luxury sport car dealerships. At home, her paternal grandmother cooked for and fed her, and her grandfather--an evening dress designer, a riveting storyteller, and a pet bird expert--doted on her and mentored her. He was her dearest friend and companion. As a child, Nikki fell for all animals, but... Continue reading

With more than a half a million pet books in print and hundreds of articles on pets and their care and training to her credit, Nikki Moustaki is considered one of the country's leading pet experts. She also is an award winning freelance writer, animal trainer, and pet industry expert, and her tireless work feeding shelter pets with her innovative website, The Pet Postcard Project, along with her hands-on rescue efforts and vocal advocacy for homeless animals, has led her to be dubbed "Saint Nik." Nikki Moustaki is also considered an "Urban Dog Guru," specializing in training city dogs for... Continue reading

NEW Postcard Deadline: June 30th, 2013. (postmark) The Pet Postcard Project's Spring campaign is here! April & May 2013 will bring showers and flowers, but will also bring thousands of meals of Halo Pets dog and cat food from Freekibble.com to the dogs at Rescue Ink and the cats at Kitty Cottage. The rescue that brings in the most homemade and handmade pet postcards wins even more food! That's right: Dogs vs Cats! Halo and Freekibble.com are generously donating 30,000 meals to two shelters for this campaign: Rescue Ink and Kitty Cottage. Each rescue will get 10,000 meals, and the... Continue reading